Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has shared his views on the criteria that should determine the winner of the Ballon d'Or.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the Portuguese coach argued that football's most prestigious individual award should go to players whose legacy will transcend their achievements with a particular team.
Asked who he believes deserves the Ballon d'Or, Mourinho said:
"It is a very beautiful individual award. You become part of the individual history of a particular player. There are a dozen players at a very, very high level, three or four of whom are with us right now. It is absolutely normal to have such ambitions.
"For me, the Ballon d'Or should go to those players whom we will miss forever after they leave football. I miss Maradona, Ronaldo, Messi, Zidane, Matthaus... You cannot give the Ballon d'Or simply because someone won the Champions League or the World Cup.
"If you want to reward someone for the Champions League, give the Ballon d'Or to Luis Enrique. If it is for Spain's success, De la Fuente certainly deserves it. It would be the greatest recognition of their achievements.
"The best player in the world is something different, and he does not necessarily have to be from PSG or the Spanish national team. There are only two, three or four players like that, and we know perfectly well who they are. We know where they are – they are here. We know who made individual history this summer.
"There is politics in the Ballon d'Or, and when politics gets involved, I don't like it very much. You already know my view of the Ballon d'Or. If it is judged by team trophies, the award should go to Luis Enrique or De la Fuente. But the best player is a completely different person," Mourinho was quoted as saying by AS.
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe is considered one of the leading contenders for the award. The Frenchman finished last season as the top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League and also led the scoring charts at the World Cup with France.
The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26.
